by Potatoes are filling and, if served correctly, are good for you: the low-calorie tubers are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. Nutrition expert Dr. Carl Meißner gives preparation tips.
Healthy factor Preparation method: Do not fry
Fried, boiled or fried: every German eats on average around 60 kilograms of potatoes per year. The tuber struggles with the stigma of making you fat. “The potato itself is denigrated because grandma always said: Child, don’t eat so many potatoes because they make you fat. But that’s not the case at all, because a potato has fewer calories than, for example, a banana,” says nutritionist Carl Meißner, who works at the Magdeburg Clinic.
Photo rights: MITTELDEUTSCHER RUNDFUNK
It’s less important how much you eat than how the potatoes end up on your plate. “The preparation method is important. If I further process it into chips or French fries, it has rather harmful properties for our health. But if I cook it gently, it has a good health effect for me,” explains Meißner.
Nutritional valuesThe potato is made up of 80% water. Contains 16% carbohydrates, 2% protein, 2% fiber and only 0.1% fat.
Vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants
100 grams of cooked potatoes provide only 70 calories and are full of healthy ingredients. “The potato is also called the lemon of the north because it is a real vitamin bomb. It is rich in vitamin C, has a lot of potassium and many antioxidants, which offer protective effects to our body. We should cook them with the peel, so that “All ingredients really remain in the potato”, explains the nutritionist.
Health tipThe red and blue varieties of the tubers contain particularly valuable secondary plant substances. They have an anti-inflammatory effect and may reduce the risk of cancer. Those made from blue potatoes can also lower blood pressure.
Potatoes fill you up for a long time and rarely cause an increase in blood sugar
Compared to other foods such as white bread, pasta, fruit or fish, boiled potatoes are the undisputed leader among satiating foods. And if you’re full, you don’t have to put everything back in so quickly. “Due to its volume, it causes a real stretching of the stomach. There is a feedback to the brain with the message: ‘We are full!'”, explains Meißner.
The doctor mentions another advantage: the healthy tuber has a low glycemic index, which means that only small fluctuations in blood sugar occur after consumption. “You don’t experience cravings, but rather a pleasant feeling of satiety,” he emphasizes.
Eat potatoes cooked and as cold as possible
Potatoes must absolutely be cooked so that the starch they contain can be digested. Only during cooking do the starch grains swell, become soluble and can be absorbed by the body.
By the way, cold boiled potatoes as in salad are even healthier than those served hot. The starch is then digested in the large intestine and broken down into, among other things, butyric acid. This promotes the health of the intestinal flora and counteracts inflammation.
Recipe tip: Potato salad according to Aurélie Bastian
Ingredients:
- 500 g of potatoes
- 2 shallots
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 3 hard boiled eggs
- 1 bunch of radishes
- ½ cucumber
- 10-12 small pickled cucumbers.
Vinaigrette:
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt and pepper.
Preparation:
- Boil the potatoes, then peel and slice them.
- Peel and cut the eggs into quarters.
- Cut radishes, shallots, cucumbers and pickles into small pieces or slices.
- Finely chop the parsley.
- Place all the ingredients in a large bowl, mix.
- Vinaigrette sauce: Mix together oil, vinegar and mustard and season with salt and pepper. Add the vinaigrette just before eating!
More information on potatoes
This topic in the program:MDR TELEVISION | The main thing is healthy November 9, 2023 | 9:00 am
